Category: Odds ‘n Sods

Max Velocity’s post-collapse novel Patriot Dawn will be made available as a free Kindle download on just Saturday November 23rd and Sunday November 24th, 2013. Grab a copy!    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) liked this piece: MV Seaman Guard Ohio: Tamil Nadu Police tight-lipped on probe. Mike’s comment: This anti-piracy ship either didn’t fill out the papers or pay the right bribe. But that’s a pretty sad arsenal–31 rifles with only 5,000 rounds.    o o o Mark J. wrote to mention that a traditional manual reloading powder scale can be used to measure …

Radio Free Redoubt mentioned a useful report format: The Spot Report    o o o Here is another “made in USA” gear maker that bears mentioning: Vvego.    o o o H.L. sent this Nanny State news: The New Ban in Vancouver That Some People Just Won’t Be Able to ‘Handle’    o o o Looting and other crime prevalent in typhoon battered Philippines. (Thanks to Andre D. for the link.)    o o o A quite affordable option for bug out bags or get home bags: The Sawyer Mini Filter

Reader Mark A. recommended a canning, freezing, drying and preserving site: PickYourOwn.org    o o o Florida city uproots couple’s 17-year-old garden, over new ordinance    o o o H.L. sent news of the latest link in the chains of tyranny: New Exit Portals at the Syracuse Airport. [JWR’s Comment: I’ve noticed that our local butcher has a similar arrangement for his cattle abattoir, back behind his shop. (Just not so sleek.) Form follows function.]    o o o The latest news from northern California: Separation movement makes case to North State    o o o Speaking of navigation, there …

My thanks to everyone who has helped Orange Jeep Dad in the aftermath of the fire that destroyed his home. Please continue to pray for him and his family, and do what you can to help.    o o o Prepper Recon Podcast: TEOTWAWKI Communications with John Jacob Schmidt of Radio Free Redoubt    o o o Several readers have mentioned this exemplar of pudge and braggadaccio: So-called “prepper” fail: “We’re going to take what you’ve got and there’s nothing you can do”. His attitude closely resembles the despicable looter mentality that was cleverly illustrated in an October, 2009 SurvivalBlog …

The e-book version of Lisa’ Bedford’s Survival Mom: How to Prepare Your Family for Everyday Disasters and Worst Case Scenarios is on sale for just $3.99 until November 25th. Her popular blog is also quite informative.    o o o Noah (the ultimate prepper in history) comes to the big screen. Here is a quote from the movie trailer: “When They Come, They’ll Be Desperate; And They’ll Be Many.”    o o o Reader Peter S. sent: New Mesh Network Documents Confirm Police Vehicle’s Real-Time Access To DHS Spy Cameras    o o o Appellate court affirms unconstitutionality of California …

Readers in the Washington, DC region take note: a Survival Medicine 101 Workshop taught by Cynthia J. Koelker, MD (SurvivalBlog’s Medical Editor) has been scheduled for December 6-8, 2013, in Leesburg, Virginia. This three-day class includes suturing, minor surgery, splinting, casting, bioterrorism defense, clinical labs, emergency preparedness, and much more. Don’t miss this rare opportunity, as Dr. Koelker only rarely teaches classes on the East Coast.    o o o Seattle police deactivate surveillance system after public outrage. (Thanks to G.G. for the link.)    o o o Just two days left! Safecastle is wrapping up their last Mountain House …

Typhoon Haiyan: Doctors running out of supplies to turn patients away    o o o Fortune magazine: What I saw at the doomsday prepper convention    o o o I heard that Augason Farms is running a 40% off sale on 100 varieties of their #10 cans, if you order $50 or more. The sale is limited to stock on hand. Reader John N. explains: “Go to your Shopping Cart (with items in it), scroll to bottom of the page, look for the “What would you like to do next?” question, then select the checkbox that says “Use Coupon Code”, …

Thomas M. mentioned this source for some good data that dispels some myths: EMP Effects on Vehicles    o o o Reader K.A.F. suggested this: Providing Basic Sanitation    o o o Herbal Supplements Are Often Not What They Seem    o o o DHS has a month to release ‘Internet kill switch’ plans    o o o Armed citizens in small Georgia town help catch robbery suspect

I prefer using 20-round magazines in ARs, so that I can get in a comfortable low prone shooting position. (Prone shooting is the most accurate and also the least likely to get yourself killed, because you present a small silhouette to your opponents. But when prone, I’ve never liked the sensation of going “high center” on a long magazine. Not only is it distracting, but it also detracts from accurate shooting.) In my opinion, 30 and 40 rounders are only apropos for sustained firing when shooting from behind cover, such as from a sandbagged position or from inside a masonry …

Since Toronto’s Mayor Ford is such an out of control individual that I recommend he be nominated for honorary membership in Mayor Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns Gang. He would fit right in.    o o o Safecastle is continuing their last Mountain House cans sale of the year, with maximum allowable discounts, free shipping, and some special loyalty reward bonuses for buyers club members. The sale ends on November 20, 2013.    o o o Michael Z. Williamson (SurvivalBlog’s Editor at Large) spotted this: Dressed to not kill: Garrison Bespoke’s bullet-proof business suit    o o o Saudi nuclear …

Bruce Z. suggested a free and fairly comprehensive wiki-like source for PDFs of U.S. Army electronics manuals: Radio Nerds. Seeing the RC-292 and “Turkey Thirty” antenna manuals brought back some fond memories. (By the time I left the ASA, we were using the fairly advanced Watkins-Johnson AN/PRD-11 with an H-Adcock antenna.) I was also thrilled to a see page dedicated to my all-time favorite HF receiver, the R-390A. To start, SurvivalBlog readers should all save copies of the TA-1 and TA-312 field telephone manuals.    o o o Filipino policemen feel powerless against the of waves of Tacloban looters.    …

More bad news from the P.I.: Typhoon that smashed houses to smithereens: Full horror of destruction in Philippines revealed as rescue workers says two thirds of dead are children. We also read: The Chaos After the Super Typhoon. And the president has declared a national calamity amid widespread looting. If you want to help with the relief effort, please don’t send contributions to the bloated, top-heavy charities like the Red Cross. Instead, please send your donations to any of the dozens of small charities that have had a long-established presence in the country.    o o o Reader M.P. in …

Bad news from the Philippines: “Super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday…”    o o o James C. mentioned that an important piece to print out for your reference binder was recently re-posted over at Preparedness Advice Blog: Chemical Names, A List Showing the Older Names vs the Modern Names. [JWR’s Comment: Credit for compiling most of this list (nearly verbatim) should be given to Kurt Saxon. He was the first one I know of to have published an earlier edition …

Reader Troy H. mentioned a map, updated hourly, of infectious disease outbreaks and diagnoses from around the world.    o o Billy Graham’s final evangelism campaign has been via a great Internet video. Please watch and share it.    o o o Ray Jason: The Sea Gypsy Tribe    o o o Andre D. suggested: How to Erase Yourself From the Internet    o o o I was recently interviewed by Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast.

An Incredible 26 Piece Altoids Survival Kit    o o o This may be a landmark Supreme Court decision: Bond v. United States. [JWR Adds: Don’t miss reading the amicus brief from the American Center for Law and Justice. An aside: Just when, exactly, did the Supreme Court become the Supreme Courtesans, and when was there first any doubt of a slam dunk decision, in a case like this? Before or after Mrs. Sonia Sotomayor came on board?)    o o o Jay B. sent: Exploding windmill — What happens when there’s too much wind even for a windmill    o …